Those Who Stay
by Fifistarfish1998
Summary: When Astrid finds Hiccup unconscious in the forest with an injured Toothless, things take an interesting turn. In this relatively long story, full of twists and turns, I guarantee you will be surprised. Please R&R!
1. Hiccups

**Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. All rights go to Dreamworks Animation.**

Berk is a small and very loud island located amidst the icy meridian. It's a place where everyone knows each other, mostly because casualties are now far and in between. On our rambunctious little island, not much ever happens, so privacy is often intruded upon. Incidents better left unknown among the many travels fast, especially now that we have dragons. Everything travels faster in the air.

So when a couple is unified, when a baby is born, when a new house is built, or even when there are accidents, everybody knows. Details are exaggerated and facts forgotten, until you are left with a far fetched story that no one dares to question.

Of course, it seemed as if Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was always the subject of these particular interests no matter what he did. It had started in infancy and had flourished as he grew.

Hiccup was a runt as a baby and through most of childhood, so unlike any other vikings. It left the townsfolk wondering why. Why hadn't he inherited his parent's strong frames? Why was he the epitome of everything a viking wasn't?

From there it had continued. Hiccup not only looked different from a typical viking, but also acted different. He was always quiet, keeping to himself and making sarcastic comments that no one understood. He constantly studied things, observing from the sidelines. Then he became more active. He destroyed things.

It was always unintentional, but nonetheless, he did it. He was a clumsy thing that couldn't control his limbs. He knocked into, destroyed, and somehow always wreaked havoc on anything he came into contact with. He was a natural disaster waiting to strike.

Then the boy decided to befriend their dutifully sworn enemies. What was he thinking? But not only that, the boy trained them. He was a disgrace to everything ever taught. An outcast among the people he would one day rule. The embarrassment of Stoick the Vast.

But it changed and it changed drastically. He saved the village. He helped the hundreds who wouldn't help him. He became a viking worthy of being chief. And all the while, he never stopped being Hiccup. The village just needed a little more of...that.

Hiccup's legacy continued when the accident happened. No one saw it coming, but like with everything Hiccup did, it was done with fanfare. He proved to everyone that, even fearless heroes have weaknesses to be exploited. You had to hand it to the boy, he was pretty fearless. Not many would risk so much to save others. When asked why he had done it, he would always reply, "Really, what did I have to lose?"

In a way, that mantra had never quite left Hiccup, even when it was no longer true. That's why the accident happened in the first place. Recklessness, pride, and excitement all rolled into one are simply a recipe for heartbreak.

So, when Astrid took Stormfly out to fly that morning, she hadn't expected to find Hiccup lying on the forest floor unconscious next to a banged up Toothless who was prodding him. She hadn't expected to fly her friend back to Berk with Toothless following behind. And she especially hadn't expected what the next day brought. She hadn't expected any of this, but it didn't surprise her. Because that was Hiccup; filled to the brim with surprises.

**A/N:**

**So, this is a new story. It's multi-chaptered and will most likely last around twenty chapters. It will be updated regularly along with my other two stories. So, yeah. Please let me know what you thought. Happy Easter!**


	2. Wait

The village was in a frenzy. As usual, word had traveled. A few villagers had bared witness to Astrid flying an unconscious Hiccup to the healer. It has a little hard to hide when Hiccup was limp and leaning back against Astrid with her arms wrapped securely around his waist. Once that was seen, well, nothing could stop the speculation of what had happened.

Astrid dragged Hiccup off of Stormfly and, with difficulty, managed to get him to Gothi's door. With one arm propping Hiccup up, she used her opposite hand to bang on the door.

"Gothi! Please, open the door! Hurry!" Astrid shouted, unable to pry the door open.

The door swung forward, revealing the startled but silent village elder. She saw Hiccup and her eyes widened, gesturing for Astrid to come in.

"Thank you!" Astrid gasped. "I was out flying and...Hiccup was just lying in the forest. I think there was an accident with Toothless." She paused and swallowed nervously before continuing hesitantly, "Is...is he going to be alright?"

The elder walked to the bed Astrid had deposited Hiccup on and put her hand to his forehead. She stood there for a moment, eyes closed thoughtfully. Then suddenly, they burst open and she nodded her head reassuringly.

Astrid sighed in relief. He would be okay. He wasn't going to die. Thank the gods.

The old woman picked up her walking stick and covered her hand with her sleeve, giving Astrid a look. It almost looked like a prosthetic.

"Gobber? You want me to get Gobber?"

Gothi nodded and made a 'hurry' motion. Astrid hesitated, casting a lingering look at Hiccup. Gothi stepped forward and placed a hand on her arm, smiling gently. Astrid frowned and nodded once.

She ran as fast as she could to the forge where she was positive Gobber was. She burst through the door and caught sight of him banging away at a large medal pole. He must have been working on his dragon dental equipment. He would have to set it aside for awhile; Hiccup was simply more important than that.

"Gobber!" Astrid exclaimed.

"Oh, aye there, Astrid. 'Iccup isn't 'ere right now. Do ya want me to tell 'im that ya stopped by?"

"Gobber, I need you to come with me to Gothi right now. Hiccup was in an accident. We need help. Please," she stressed.

Gobber dropped his tool in shock and advanced towards the door, "Why didn't ya say so, lassie? Let's go!"

Together, they rushed back to the hut, Astrid explaining what had happened along the way.

"Gothi said he would be alright and to get you," she finished, arriving at the door.

As they walked in, they caught sight of Gothi sitting at a table, crushing herbs in a mortar with her pestle. At their entrance, she glanced up, finished her remedy, and immediately wrote something for Gobber to translate.

He squinted at it for a moment, trying to make sense of her unspoken words. "She says, the boy will live, but 'til 'e wakes up, we won't know 'ow bad it is. Apparently, 'e 'as 'ad some nasty 'ead trouble."

Checking for proof, Astrid made her way over to Hiccup and inspected his skull. Sure enough, there was a pool of blood matting his messy hair down on the left side. It appeared to have stopped bleeding, but nonetheless looked serious.

She gently stroked his hair, hoping to comfort him in his current state of apparent unease. 'Please, Eir,' she silently prayed, 'let him be okay.'

Astrid dropped her head into her hand, eyes squeezed shut, "This is a disaster."

She couldn't bare to watch him sleep for days again, writhing in pain and unconsciously crying out. And even though the battle with the Red Death had been three years ago, she couldn't relive watching Hiccup hurt. He was a sweet, caring boy, who was sadly a magnet for misfortune, no matter what he did. He simply couldn't help it.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Astrid as she watched Gothi smear the mysterious concoction on Hiccup's forehead. The healer paused a moment and scribbled something into the dirt, allowing Gobber to speak.

"She says, we wait."

Gobber studied her for a moment with pity, "Maybe you should go 'ome, lass. Chances are 'e won't be waking up for a while. Ya know 'ow stubborn 'Iccup is," he said, giving a reassuring chuckle.

"I'll wait," Astrid said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Astrid-"

"I don't want him to wake up alone." When Hiccup had awoken after the first accident, Astrid had felt horrible for not being there. He had woken up alone to find himself missing a leg with only Toothless- Oh, no! Toothless!

"I forgot about Toothless," Astrid bolted upright, eyes wide.

Gobber stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Go take care of 'im. If 'Iccup wakes up, I promise I'll be 'ere. I won't leave until you get back."

Once again, Astrid hesitated, unsure whether or not to leave Hiccup's side. But, she reasoned, Toothless needed help too. If he was hurt, nothing would Hiccup's mind at ease when he woke up. And he would wake up.

"Okay," Astrid relented, "I'll be back soon. If he wakes up, come get me immediately." She turned to leave, before remembering to say, "Oh, and thank you, Gobber. You're a good man."

Gobber gave her a short smile as she left.

As Astrid walked out, she saw a red tail around the corner, concealing the body it was connected to.

"Toothless?" she called.

The large dragon poked his head around to study the source of the voice, before bounding around and stopping right in front of her. Astrid reached out a hand and stroked his head softly as he leaned into her touch.

Toothless was riddled in scratches, visible blood beginning to crust. Nothing looked too serious. Just a few more scars to add to the collection.

"Come on, Buddy, let's go get you cleaned up," Astrid said, beginning to lead him to her home. Toothless didn't follow. He stayed put, giving her a confused look while a questioning sound escaped his lips.

Astrid walked back to him. "It's okay. Hiccup is just inside. We're going to come back soon, but we need to clean your wounds first," she explained.

Again, Toothless let out a warble, this time defiant.

Astrid sighed heavily, "You're making this more difficult that it needs to be." Toothless fixed her with a heady stare. "Fine! Wait here, I'll be right back."

Astrid moodily stormed off to her house. Stubborn dragon! Although she couldn't really blame him. She hadn't wanted to leave Hiccup either. Ugh! It didn't matter. She would gather her dragon salve, fix Toothless up, and get back to Hiccup in no time at all.

If only Gothi kept the salve in her hut, then this would be quicker. But she didn't. Years ago, after an Outcast attack, Hiccup discovered that if dragons were wounded bad enough to need medical attention, human remedies wouldn't work. So, being Hiccup, he and Fishlegs had created a special salve made from herbs, berries and dragon saliva and distributed it to each owner.

It worked great and was surprisingly easy to make, but a few ingredients were a bit difficult to collect vast amounts of, so each rider got one container full and when they ran out, came to the academy to order more. Those who didn't have dragons, didn't get the salve; that included Gothi.

Astrid made it back to Toothless and patched him up. He sat still the entire time, casting expectant glances at the hut door. But the door only opened when Gobber left, needing to return to the forge.

Astrid simply waited beside him. She waited for him to wake, to be okay. This routine went on for hours. Besides Gobber, there was no one to alert about Hiccup's accident. Snotlout and the twins were sick, Fishlegs was off on a trip with Trader Johann, and Stoick was at a foreign tribal meeting and wasn't expected back for another week.

All that was left to do, was wait.

** A/N: **

** And that was chapter two. I hope it's turning out alright. It got way more follows and reviews than I was expecting. Thank you! **

** I'm not the best with dialogue but I'm trying. In case you were wondering, Eir was the goddess of healing in Norse Mythology. Personally, I'm more accustomed with Greek Mythology, but, I gave it a shot. **

** To answer Nightfury101's question, I'm planning on having each chapter around 1,000 words or so. It's hard to say, because I usually just write until I feel the chapter is finished. But thank you for the kind words! I'm happy to answer any questions. **

** So, please let me know what you think and next chapter should be up soon!**


	3. Remember

Bright shining light. That's what Hiccup groggily wakes up to. As his eyelids slowly rise, he furrows his eyebrows and squints. A sharp pain shoots through his head making him groan.

Where is he?

Hiccup gradually sits up in the stiff bed and looks around. He sees dark walls, lined with shelves that are stacked with various jars and dishes. In the center of the room stands a short table, currently holding a mortar and pestle, along with a strange substance that must be the product of whatever was put in the contraption.

He recognizes this place, but it's hard to be sure. Gothi. This is Gothi's hut.

Why is he in Gothi's hut?

Another splitting pain shoots along his temples. "Agh!" Hiccup shouts. His head flies into his hands and stays there until the ache subsides. Oh, that's great. Now he knows what was in the mortar, Hiccup thinks as he studies his covered hands. The substance must be all over his head. Great.

Rummaging through Gothi's cupboards, Hiccup finds a rag and dips it into a bucket on the counter, washing the medicine off his forehead.

Where was the old healer, anyway?

Stumbling about the hut, he eventually discovers the old woman sitting at a desk, snoring softly. Hiccup smiles, glad for some normalcy amongst his current confusion. Just like when he woke up after the Red Death battle. The Red Death. Toothless! Where's Toothless?

Scribbling out a quick 'thank you' note to Gothi, Hiccup makes it to the door, gently easing it open. Eyes never leaving the door, he closes it softly, trying to let the woman sleep in peace.

But then a hesitant voice says, "Hiccup?"

He knows that voice. Slowly he turns and is greeted with a worried expression on a face he is sure he knows. She's quite beautiful, whoever she is. Blond hair twisted into a complicated braid, blue eyes the color of the sea framed by thick eyelashes and a softness not easily earned.

"Hiccup? What's wrong?" Even her voice is beautiful. He loves this girl. He _knows_ he does. But who is she?

"Astrid?" he asks hesitantly. That sounds right. What is he saying? This is _Astrid_. How could he ever forget her?

In four short strides he has her in his arms, hugging her tightly. He definitely remembers her. For a moment they just stand locked in their embrace, breathing each other in. Hiccup pulls back a bit until his face is level with hers and strokes her cheek before leaning forward and giving her a lingering kiss.

They part when Hiccup once again grabs his head in pain. Astrid gives him a worried look as he quickly recovers and explains. "I'm sorry. It's just...for a moment...I forgot..._you_. My head isn't right. I keep getting these pains and, wow, I can't believe I could ever forget you!"

Astrid stepped forward, grabbing his hands, "Hiccup what happened? Why were you in the forest?"

"The forest?" Hiccup questions, oblivious to the position in which he had been found. "What are you talking about?"

Astrid furrows her eyebrows, "Hiccup, I found you unconscious in the forest. Toothless was all scratched up and your head, well, you obviously know about your head."

Suddenly Hiccup jumped and started looking around frantically, "Oh gods! Where is Toothless? Is he okay? Is he hurt?" Hiccup stopped and doubled over in pain.

"Okay, you need to sit down," Astrid said, making him sit on the ground. "Calm down. Toothless is fine. Just a little beat up, but I took care of him. I _finally_ got him to leave to go get some food from the town square. He's alright, Hiccup." She sat in front of him and looked in his eyes. "Now, do you remember what happened?"

Hiccup sat silently racking his brain, trying to figure what in Oden's name had happened. "I remember," he said squinting in concentration, "going for a fly with Toothless and...I...saw something on an island we passed over. It...was _glowing_. We went to check it out and then," he cut off, "I don't know. I can't remember."

"It's okay," Astrid reassured him, "At least you remember something. Come on," she continued, standing and holding her hand out to him, "let's go get Toothless and find this island of yours."

**A/N:**

**The update schedule for this story is going to be every Friday. Sorry, but I have two other stories on Fanfiction and three on Fictionpress that are currently going. Not to mention I have school and hours of piano practice. My time is getting scheduled very meticulously. Sorry again. Next chapter on Friday. I hope you enjoyed and please review!**


	4. Found

Hiccup and Astrid walked down through the town center to find Toothless, passing curious faces. Word had been passed around about Hiccup's incident and people immediately started poking their noses about.

"How's your head?" Astrid asked suddenly.

"Better than it was, that's for sure." The little spurts of pain hadn't lasted very long and had almost completely dissipated by then.

"I'm really glad you're not dead," Astrid said, ignoring everyone and turning to Hiccup.

"Uh, thanks?" Hiccup snorted earning a punch from his female companion.

"Ugh! You know what I meant, Hiccup! You know I'm not good with my feelings," she said glancing down. She really wasn't. It wasn't as if she didn't have feelings or thoughts or _emotions,_ it was just-ugh! She just wasn't a communicator! And that was their culture. Vikings weren't supposed to be able to express themselves. But Hiccup could, and he did.

He looped an arm around her and kissed the side of her head, "I know. I'm just teasing. If it's any consolation, I'm glad I didn't forget you."

She laughed, "Me too. It would really hurt if you didn't remember me, but honestly, also kind of relieving, considering you wouldn't remember how you used to be treated. Me and the others still feel horrible about that."

"What happened is in the past, okay? We were kids. Plus, look what I have now! I have my father's somewhat approval, a group of friends that I unfortunately love, and a beautiful girlfriend who completely adores me."

"_Adores_?" she asked, trying not to laugh out loud.

"Oh yeah," Hiccup nodded, emphatically, "And how could you not? What's not to love about all…," he gestured to himself, "this raw Vikingness power?"

And with that final sentence, Astrid lost it. She started laughing so hard she had to lean against his side to stay upright.

Hiccup made a face, "Wow. That hurts." Astrid stopped mid-laugh. "Astrid, I'm just kidding."

"Sorry, it's just- I kind of like you, you know. If anything happened to you, I would be devastated."

Hiccup stopped suddenly, causing Astrid to, also. "Astrid, believe me when I say, I'm fine. It was just an accident. Those are pretty common for me," he said with a small smirk.

Astrid laughed again, "That's true." She stopped and watched Hiccup closely. What would she have done without him? How had she lived _before _him? Even when she didn't care, Hiccup had always beeen there. And now, she was certain she would spend her life with no one but him. She wondered if similar thoughts were running through his head as he studied her just as intensely. His lively eyes bore into hers, green clashing with blue in a fierce battle of trust and affection.

Hiccup smiled and leaned down, bringing his head was level with hers until she smiled too. He pressed his lips to hers, closing the gap and not caring who was watching. He had almost died today! Nothing was going to stop him from kissing the lovely girl before him.

Her arms had snaked up his shoulders as his tightened around her waist, pulling at the leather straps of his armor to bring him closer to her. They pulled apart after a moment, resting their foreheads together. Hiccup trailed his hands down her arms and grasped her hands in his as he smiled warmly, "Come on, let's go find Toothless."

They finally made it to the feeding stations after passing many towering houses occupied with many more spying faces. The houses were grouped close together in order to provide more room, leaving just enough space for dragon houses bordered with long, lush grass.

The feeding stations stood in the small clearing that was surrounded in a circular formation by homes. They stood taller than the buildings; large enough for multiple dragons to land atop the stands. They were all brightly painted to help attract unfamiliar dragons. Their small island had become a type of sanctuary.

Toothless suddenly bobbed his head up and looked around, eyes widening as they caught sight of Hiccup. He bounded up to his friend and nuzzled against him, demanding every bit of his attention.

Hiccup laughed, hugging the dragon's scaly neck. "Hi, Bud," he greeted him, looking him over for injuries "I guess we had a little accident, huh?"

He saw Astrid twitch in his peripheral vision and quickly added. "But we're okay. We've been through worse and survived."

Hiccup looked around, thoughts straying from the task at hand, "Where's Stormfly?"

"Oh," Astrid said, "After we found you and brought you back, I decided to wait around for you to wake up. I figured she wouldn't want to, so I sent her off. She's probably out flying."

"Guess you'll just have to ride with me then," Hiccup said with a smirk.

Astrid wasn't amused. "Hiccup, are you sure you should be flying? Your head is wounded and you just woke up. It doesn't seem safe."

Hiccup sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this argument. "Walking it is then."

0000000

The three of them wandered through the forest, attempting to remember where Hiccup had been.

"I'm pretty sure I found you near Green Skull," Astrid said, looking intently at Hiccup's small sketchbook with a map scrawled in it.

"Green Skull? Why would I have been there? If anything, I'm always right off Raven Point, at the cove." He grabbed Astrid's hand and guided her away from a root that was sure to trip anyone who hadn't seen it. "Watch your step," he cautioned. Though Astrid's eyes never left the book, she squeezed his hand in acknowledgement.

"So, how do you know where we are now?" she asked confused.

Hiccup glanced over and placed his finger right over a piece of land accurately titled Rocky Mound.

Astrid nodded, "That makes sense."

"I think we're almost through, though. The rocks are starting to thin."

"And then into Green Skull we go," Astrid continued.

She handed the book back to Hiccup and watched him stash it within his armor with a smile. "You're so dorky," she said, shaking her head.

"Why do you say that?" Hiccup asked, looking up.

She gave him a droopy look and said, "Are you seriously asking me that? Dressed like that?"

"Hey!" he said. "This is where I keep all my tools!"

Astrid laughed, "And by tools, you mean your pencils and other dorky supplies?"

"That is beside the point," Hiccup grumbled.

She knocked her shoulder into the brooding boy's, "Oh, cheer up, Mopey. Obviously I like it. Even if I don't understand why." Hiccup laughed, perking up.

He looked over at Toothless, who was glancing around, ears perked. Suddenly the dragon ran off the path and started sniffing around the trees.

The sudden movement had caught Astrid's attention. "What is he doing?" she asked, walking over to look.

Hiccup followed, curiosity peaked, "What it is it, Bud?"

Leaning down, Hiccup saw something caught in the bush circling the tree. He latched onto it and pulled with all the strength he could muster, falling back with the item in his arms.

It was a bola.

**A/N:**

**I would like to point just how much fluff I put in this chapter. Was it too much? I was trying to make them act comfortably around each other and build character development without being awkward and cheesy. Did it work? Beside that, did you like the chapter? Please let me know! Also, thank you for the follows! But I'll be honest, it makes me a bit nervous knowing how many people are reading this. It makes me try harder on the chapters so I won't disappoint anyone. Seriously though, thank you. You guys rock!**


	5. Alive

After finding the bola, Hiccup and Astrid made their way back to the village. Hiccup may not remember what had happened but he needed answers. It was obvious that something beyond a simple flight accident had taken place, but without witnesses or any memory, it was hard to pinpoint what.

"It's alright," Astrid said, laying a hand on his shoulder, "We'll figure this out."

"Who would have shot a bola at me?"

"Maybe that was an old bola and whoever shot it wasn't aiming at you," Astrid said optimistically, stopping when Hiccup gave her a look.

"I find it hard to believe someone just happened to shoot that in the exact place where you found me merely by coincidence," he stated.

"It wasn't _right_ where I found you, Hiccup," Astrid replied, and then added quietly, "Just near." Hiccup heard the last part and rolled his eyes. "I'm just trying to help. It's not my fault you can't remember!" Astrid exclaimed. "If you did, we could get to the bottom of this, and there, problem solved!"

Hiccup stopped walking when they neared the village, Astrid still in mid-rant. "Astrid," he said, not catching her attention. "Astrid!"

She spun around to face him. "What?" she snapped.

Hiccup squinted into the distance, "Do you see that?"

She followed his eyes and squinted, "Yes."

"Who is that?"

A large ship was approaching Berk, wide sails just barely close enough to be seen.

"It's Trader Johann."

0000000000

The couple, followed closely by the black dragon, approached the harbor's dock. The ship was creeping slowly but steadily along the waves, dark wood highlighted by the setting rays of sunlight. The brightly colored mast and sails stood tall, casting a slight shadow over the clear, blue water.

"Why is Trader Johann back so early," Hiccup asked, watching the ship. "I wasn't out for that long, was I?"

Astrid shook her head, "No, only a little over a day."

"Do you think he lost Fishlegs?"

Astrid shrugged nonchalantly, "If Johann did, I'm sure Fishlegs can find his way home again."

Hiccup smirked. It was probably true, as the young man was really quite brilliant. He could recite the new and improved dragon manual at the slightest signal. Surely, if lost and abandoned by the less than trustworthy merchant, he would be able to find some way back home.

The fact that Astrid acknowledged this, however subtlety, was pretty laughable. She liked to pretend she was the tough, Viking girl who couldn't care less if you literally dropped off the face of the planet, but if one paid close enough attention, the facade would come crashing down.

Hiccup grasped her hand gently and intertwined their fingers without removing his gaze from the snail paced boat. Astrid's lips tugged into a small smile that she simply couldn't fight and squeezed his hand in reply.

Toothless ducked and brought his head up under their locked hands until they rested behind his back, sitting straight up and blinking in utter happiness. His mouth moved, revealing a gummy, tooth-free mouth, as he looked between them both.

Astrid smiled back and scratched beneath his chin, while Hiccup laughed aloud. "Feeling left out, Bud?"

The dragon just warbled in response.

The ship finally rolled in to dock. The anchor dropped, water splashing high into the air. The loading plank was laid out and secured. Then suddenly, a giant, blond man wearing a brown fur vest came charging out with a similarly large, brown dragon following.

"Hiccup," Fishlegs yelled in excitement, enveloping him in a rough hug that lifted him from the ground, "You're alive!"

"Fishlegs," Hiccup gasped, "Can't. Breath!"

His friend dropped him with an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I'm just relieved that you're okay. I-we, thought you were dead!"

"Why would you think that?" Astrid asked while Hiccup regained his breath. "And who's 'we'."

Fishlegs turned to her and said, "Me and Trader Johann. And we thought he was dead because we saw a Night Fury get shot at! Unless there is another dragon who looks exactly like Toothless that I'm just not aware of."

"Wait," Hiccup held up a hand, now standing straight. "What do you mean you saw Toothless get shot from the sky? Who shot at him?"

"Well, as you know, I was going to be coming back soon from my trip, so our ship was already close to Berk. Yesterday we were searching for a rare bird for feather quills and I saw a bola shoot at you. I didn't see where it came from, but I assumed it had hit you." Fishlegs paused, "I'm so happy you're alright!"

"Yeah, I'm alright," Hiccup laughed, but his mind was elsewhere. Why would someone shoot at him? It didn't make since. Everyone on Berk knew that Toothless was Hiccup's dragon. He was the only Night Fury ever seen, so mistaking him wouldn't explain it either. But wait. Did Fishlegs…?

"Fishlegs," Hiccup began slowly, "Did the bola come from on Berk?"

"That's the thing," Fishlegs said, "It looked like it came from sea but I didn't see a ship. Besides, logically speaking, who on Berk would shoot at you?"

"Exactly," Astrid said, seeing Hiccup's point, "it _wasn't_ someone from Berk. That means there is someone else around here. Are you sure there wasn't a boat?"

"I can't be sure," Fishlegs shook his head. "Just because I didn't see it, doesn't mean it wasn't there. I was too distracted by watching Hiccup and Toothless fall out of the sky."

"Then it's decided," Hiccup said resolutely as his friends turned to face him, "We need to find this ship that may or may not exist."

* * *

**A/N: **

**I'm sorry this chapter is so short but the next one will definitely be longer. Thank you so much for the positive feedback. It really makes my day to know someone is enjoying this.**


	6. Rest

"So how was your expedition with Johann?" Hiccup asked as, once again, they walked through the town. Fishlegs had left Berk three months earlier, hoping to expand his knowledge further on anything available. As if that was possible. The man already knew all there was to know about basically anything.

Fishlegs' face brightened considerably, "It was incredible! I learned so much. Did you know that there is a moss that only grows on the left side of rocks in the ocean?"

Astrid snorted at his excitement over such a ridiculous subject, "Does it do something?"

"Of course it does!" Fishlegs exclaimed in obvious shock. "It is the main diet for the Scarlet Crab!"

Hiccup laughed. "But the Scarlet Crab is so small," he pointed out.

Fishlegs shook his head vigorously, "Small, maybe, but the role it plays in the ecosystem is extraordinary." His face radiated awe while Hiccup and Astrid tried to control their snickering.

"What," Astrid coughed, attempting to cover an escaped laugh, "What role does it play?"

"Oh! It's actually really cool! The crab is actually regularly hunted by the predatory Grey Gull! Do you want to know how it catches it?" Fishlegs asked his two red faced friends who were subtlety stifling their laughter.

Hiccup closed his eyes and took a deep breath before addressing him, "No, that's alright, Fishlegs. Maybe another time."

Fishlegs nodded a bit disappointedly, "Alright." They walked in silence for a while, paying close attention to where each foot fell on the grassy hill. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hiccup wince before quickly trying to cover it up. But he had piqued Fishlegs interest now, which led to him asking, "What's wrong?"

Hiccuo glanced at him, "Nothing. I'm fine."

"But you winced," Fishlegs prodded him.

Astrid was now watching Hiccup with a critical eye. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked quietly.

Hiccup smiled reassuringly at them both, "I'm perfectly fine. I promise. It's just little headaches that come and go."

"Still?" Astrid asked, her tone becoming increasingly concerned as her brow furrowed further. "Hiccup, I think you should go rest for a little bit. These last two days haven't exactly been ideal and you shouldn't be taxing yourself."

"Astrid, I'm fi-"

"Do not tell me you are fine," Astrid snapped. She closed her eyes and shook her head, continuing in a softer voice, "_Please_, Hiccup. Just sit down for a while and we can continue searching tomorrow. It would really make me feel better to know you won't collapse hours away from any help with all of our dragons back in Berk ."

"I agree with Astrid," Fishlegs cut in, causing Astrid to jerkily gesture towards him with an expression that screamed, _'See_?' "I didn't know you were hurt."

Hiccup groaned, "Fine!"

Although he agreed to rest for a while, Hiccup refused to sleep, so they ended up going to The Great Hall to sit and eat.

After they had fully informed Fishlegs about Hiccup's accident, he had sat in his seat, incredibly shocked at the events that had taken place during his absence. Of course, it wasn't exactly surprising. Hiccup always managed to get himself into trouble in one way or another. Throughout their teenage years, Hiccup had been electrocuted,abducted, imprisoned, and almost burnt to a crisp more times than anyone could count by wild dragons he had been hell bent on training. Not to mention the loss of his leg. That had kind of played a substantial part in Hiccup's unfortunate history.

These types of things never came as a shock to those who had met him. In fact, most of them had come to expect. Hiccup may be brilliant but he was still the chief's son, which meant that Hiccup had a ridiculous amount of pride. Combine that with his naturally reckless nature and it was understandable why the things that took place happened to begin with.

But they never said anything about it to Hiccup. They all had their flaws and he was going to do what he wanted no matter what they said anyway. So really, what was the point? He hadn't died yet. He lived life like a true Viking, terrifying as that lifestyle may be.

Fishlegs decided to change the subject to something less horrible. He had pieced together the parts of the story that hadn't been told and decided that the details weren't all that important. "So where are the twins? Or Snotlout?"

Astrid smirked, "Well, since the morons are near inseparable, however they may annoy each other, one of them got sick and managed to give it to everyone else. They've been on lockdown."

Fishlegs gasped, "All of them?"

"Yes, even Ruffnut," Hiccup laughed, smiling knowingly at the boy.

"Maybe you can take her some stew later," Astrid suggested, eyes glowing with amusement. Fishlegs blushed deep red. They had addressed his unspoken interest in the Thorston twin. That meant it was noticeable. This conversation had become worse than the previous one.

What made it worse was that he was sure Snotlout was interested too. He couldn't be positive but he had a strong hunch. He was in a competition of sorts with _Snotlout_. He never won against Snotlout in anything.

Now Fishlegs understood how Hiccup must have felt when he and Astrid had become a thing. But unlike Fishlegs, Hiccup had been quite obvious about where his affections lay. It probably also helped that Snotlout had never really stood a chance with Astrid. Once they became friends, she and Hiccup had become connected at the hip.

They were both strong but in different ways. Hiccup was quieter and more bashful, where as Astrid was the epitome of pride and confidence. Together they were unstoppable. They were each others constant supporters.

But Ruffnut, on the other hand, was rash and rude and Fishlegs really couldn't say why he liked her. Perhaps it was because she was his complete opposite; she was everything he wasn't and had always wished he was. They had never really been close, only hanging out when the others were around, but Fishlegs had subconsciously watched. And he surprisingly appreciated what he saw.

When separated from her twin, she could be sweet and calm. She just tried to conceal that side of herself from everyone else. But not everything can go unnoticed as time goes on.

Realizing he had zoned out in his thoughts, Fishlegs listened to the conversation that Astrid and Hiccup had continued without him. They watched one another closely, deeply absorbed in their words, emotion etched into every line of their faces.

"I'll be fine flying tomorrow," Hiccup said, claiming Astrid's hand in his own. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Astrid sighed, fighting a losing battle. "Fine," she swayed, "but the moment I see a hint of pain cross your face, we're heading back home."

Hiccup nodded to appease her but Astrid saw through his ruse.

"Promise me, Hiccup," she demanded. Her eyes told him that if he didn't keep his word, he would regret it.

He obviously read the message loud and clear as he nodded once again and said, "I promise, Astrid." He leaned over to kiss her cheek, mumbling quietly under his breath, "But I will be fine."

Fishlegs, ever observant, smirked and looked away.

Tomorrow would be interesting.

* * *

**A/N:**

** I tried to slow things down a little and expand on the characters. To avoid confusion, I thought I would confirm that the characters are about 17 or 18 in this story. Past the first HTTYD but not quite to the second.**

** I'm really enjoying writing this story and I hope everyone is enjoying reading it. Thank you so much for all the positive feedback; it really makes my week.**


	7. Thoughts

"We should almost be there," Hiccup said, studying his map as he, Astrid and Fishlegs flew over Berk. They had been flying for hours towards the side of island where a ship might have been the previous day. It was a long shot they would even find anything. They weren't entirely positive of the boat's existence in the first place.

It was easier to scour the land while flying as Hiccup had pointed out, stopping only to give their dragons breaks. If they had walked the entire way, they would've collapsed from exhaustion. They had traveled miles from the point in the forest where they had found the bola and still hadn't arrived at their destination, wherever it may be.

Hiccup reached down and patted Toothless' neck, "Almost there, Bud." His eyes flicked upwards and he warbled in response.

"So, Fishlegs," Astrid began, but before she could continue, a strong, chest racking snore sounded to her left. Fishlegs had fallen asleep in his saddle. Astrid looked to Hiccup in shock and they both started laughing.

"How can he fall asleep sitting up like that?" she asked through their giggling.

"He's Fishlegs," Hiccup replied. "This wouldn't be the first time he's drifted off in some strange place." Astrid began laughing anew.

"What makes it worse," she gasped, "is how true that really is." Astrid didn't quite know why they were in such high spirits. Perhaps it was the fact that they had been flying almost non-stop since the early hours of the day that was easing their minds ever so gradually from the brink of all remaining sanity. That seemed the most likely explanation.

Seriousness edged its way back to the forefront of Astrid's mind, slowly erasing her smile. "Hiccup, what are we going to do if these 'people' are already gone? Or better yet, how are we going to find them?"

He sighed, "I don't know. Maybe...just wait?" He looked at her for an answer?

"Wait for what? Hiccup, whoever shot you down needs to be confronted. What if it wasn't an accident? What if they do it again?" Astrid started to panic, before anger rose past it. She wasn't going to wait and see if Hiccup came home every night. She wasn't go to worry that something bad had happened and go out searching for him. She refused to be the girl who waited around for the usually troubled boy.

But then Astrid looked over to her companion, saw his messy, auburn hair sticking up at all angles, she knew she would. She would always be waiting for him. There was nothing she could do as their fate was resolutely plastered with one single, maddening word: Inevitable.

Hiccup looked up and caught her eye, "What?" he asked. The look she was giving him wasn't entirely angry nor was it overly loving. It was an expression of sadness. A side of herself that Astrid Hofferson rarely showed.

She knew one day she would wake up to his smiling face and feel overwhelming amounts of joy and happiness, simply because he was there and no one compared in her eyes. And then he would kiss her and depart on some crazy exploration, while she would wait. She would wait and wait and wait until it became clear that he wasn't coming back. All of that love would suddenly coalesce into a single shard that ruined her heart forever. It was terrifying to know that someone held that kind of power over her.

Astrid shook her head and covered her thoughts with a smile. "Nothing," she said, voice quivering ever so slightly.

Hiccup watched her curiously. He knew she was lying but what could he do? Force her to share her thoughts? If she wouldn't voice them than they would never be heard. And from the look on her face, Hiccup wondered if that might not be such a bad thing.

Beside them, Fishlegs' snore stuttered and he started to choke before jolting awake. "Where are we?" he exclaimed seemingly disoriented.

Astrid quickly wiped her eyes and forced away her negative thoughts while Hiccup's gaze was pre-occupied.

"We should be really close," Hiccup told him, glancing down at the rapidly moving terrain beneath him.

Fishlegs yawned widely and nodded with his eyes closed.

"Fishlegs," Astrid said, startling him out of his somewhat serene state.

"What?"

"I was thinking, you said you saw the bola come from the sea, but yet, you didn't see a boat." She shook her head, racking her brain, "How is that possible?"

Rubbing his eyes with his palms he said, "Well, I said it looked as if it came from the sea, but really it looked more like it came from right off the edge of the isle. Not quite on Berk but close. And if that were the case, a ship could very well have been hidden amongst the rocks and trees. You have to remember," he said meeting her stare, "I was on a boat too. It's not exactly the best viewing point."

"At least that makes slightly more sense," Astrid replied.

"Hey guys," Hiccup said, "the trees are starting to get thicker. Maybe we should walk for a bit so we can actually see."

Astrid and Fishlegs agreed, slowly beginning to descend to solid ground. They dismounted from their saddles and stretched their sore muscles. They led their individual dragons to a nearby stream and let them rest for a moment.

They had all walked Berk's entire length before on hunting trips, so they knew the area they were in relatively well. They knew where each stream was, which plants were fine to eat and the best places to take up shelter.

The raging water produced a good amount of sound as it ended in a small waterfall a bit further down. It was nearly impossible to hear anything around them, so when their dragons heads suddenly snapped up, there was little more they could do than look around in caution.

"Ahhhh!" voices screamed. The friends whipped around towards the noise and saw a small group of people running towards their dragons at full speed, weapons raised.

"I think we found them," Hiccup shouted.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I'm sorry this chapter is late! Manga drains your energy reserves. That's a scientific fact. Straight from the mind of a 15 year old.**

**Midoriko-sama: Thank you for pointing that out! I don't know how I missed it.**


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